- Share 1N3
We have also bee chosen as the Donor Family for Donate Life TN and will participate in the 2016 Transplant Games in Cleveland, OH, June 10-15, 2016, along with Melvin, Kevin's heart recipient! Stay tuned!
Two years prior to being killed by a drunk driver, Kevin had a friend that died who was an organ donor. After Blake's funeral, Kevin talk to his mom about the fact that he thought it was so cool that Blake had saved lives. He said, "Mom, its like Blake is a Superhero because he saved lives. If anything ever happens to me I want to be an organ donor too!" Tiki, Kevin's mom, told Kevin how proud she was that he made such a selfless CHOICE. She never thought she would someday be faced with making that CHOICE for him.
When there was nothing more that could be done and Kevin had be pronounced brain dead, the only CHOICE left was to honor Kevin's CHOICE. And in doing so Kevin saved the lives of four people:
KEVIN'S HEART went to a 48-year-old male named Melvin Ellis. We received our first letter from him on April 2, 2012, what would have been Kevin's 26th birthday (our first one without him). It was the best gift we could have received! To hear from the man who carries Kevin's heart was wonderful. We immediately wrote back. Soon after on July 7, 2012 we got to meet!! Melvin let us listen to Kevin's heart with a stethoscope. There are no words to describe the emotion of that day.
We spent the weekend together and bonded as a family. We mushed all our names together and now call ourselves, "The FINYATELLISONs"!! We are one big family now. We talk on the phone, text, and Facebook, and try to travel a couple times a year to visit since we are on opposite sides of Tennessee.
KEVIN'S LIVER went to a 72-year-old male.
KEVIN'S RIGHT KIDNEY went to a 48-year-old-male.
KEVIN'S LEFT KIDNEY and PANCREAS went to a 49-year-old woman.
Kevin also donated tissue and bone.
The communication process has begun with the other recipients, but we have not yet received anything back from them. We are patiently waiting and very much want to know about them and someday meet them face to face.
If Kevin's story has inspired you to be a SUPERHERO too, please register today at www.donatelife.net/register-now/ and choose you state, or if you live in Tennessee go to www.donatelifetn.org. If you register in Tennessee, when answering the question, "How did you hear about the registry?" choose "Kevin's 1N3 story" in the drop down box. This let's us know how many have chosen to be superhero like Kevin!
We are proud to announce that Kevin was chosen to represent Tennessee at the 2016 Rose Parade on the Donate Life America float, January 1, 2016. We had the opportunity to share Kevin's 1N3 and organ donation story with people from all over the nation while in Pasadena, CA. http://www.donatelifefloat.org/wp/fl3/
Click KEVIN's Floragraph to view our photos!
"One in three of us are impacted by drunk driving."
GIVE LIFE
Kevin's organ donation story